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NEW YORK — Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said the team is “cautiously optimistic” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will be able to return within a two-to-three-week timeframe after cracking his left shoulder blade in an outfield collision during Saturday’s game against the Yankees.

“We’ll know more in the next few days,” Anthopoulos told a throng of reporters at Yankee Stadium before Sunday’s game. “But if (the team’s medical staff) had to guess — and really it’s only a guess at this point — it could be two to three weeks and then he could be back for October. Hopefully we’re playing at that time.”

Tulowitzki suffered the injury in the second inning of the first game of Saturday’s double-header when he and centre fielder Kevin Pillar converged on a shallow pop fly in centre field. Neither player heard the other calling him off. Tulowitzki made the catch before Pillar crashed into his back. It was Pillar’s chin that caused the crack in Tulowitzki’s shoulder blade.

“It’s not the first time I’ve collided with an outfielder,” Tulowitzki said Sunday. “It does happen. Just unfortunately this time somebody got hurt.”

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Tulowitzki — who has dealt with a slew of injuries in his career, but primarily to his hips and legs — was reluctant to put a timeline on his return.

“I don’t want to put a timeframe on myself because I know myself, and if I do that I’m going to be itching at the bit, and if I do need that extra time, if we’re in a good spot, I think it would be wise for me to take (the extra time) and wait until I’m 100-per-cent healthy,” he said. “Time will tell everything, you know. As we go on we’ll know where we’re at in the standings, we’ll know how my body is feeling and we’ll make a decision based on both of those things.”

The Jays' Kevin Pillar, right, hits the deck after colliding with Troy Tulowitzki, left, during second-inning play Saturday in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Yankees. Tulowitzki was forced to leave the game, won by the Jays in 11 innings, 9-5. (Kathy Willens/AP)

Tulowitzki said he hoped the Jays — on pace for the franchise’s first postseason berth since 1993 — will rise to the challenge of his absence. “I think if you look back in history all teams that have won a World Series or make it deep in the playoffs, they all face adversity,” he said. “ . . . That’s part of the game, so hopefully this is going to be something that just makes our story that much more special.”

As middle-infield insurance, the Jays acquired veteran infielder Darwin Barney from the L.A. Dodgers on Sunday in exchange for cash or a player to be named later. The 29-year-old, who is highly regarded as a strong defender, has spent nearly the entire season with the Dodgers’ Triple-A team, but was an everyday player with the Chicago Cubs from 2011 to 2014.

“The big thing is we want to stay as strong defensively up the middle as we can,” said Anthopoulos, who described Barney’s defence as “every bit as good” as the Jays’ Ryan Goins.

While the Jays will not be able replace Tulowitzki’s offence, Anthopoulos said he is confident the team will not suffer defensively, with Goins shifting from second to his natural position at short and either Barney or Cliff Pennington getting the bulk of playing time at second base.

“The one thing is we have the depth from the defensive standpoint,” Anthopoulos said. “You’re going to lose (Tulowitzki’s) bat and obviously what he brings, the intangibles . . . But we still expect this to be a very good defensive team.”

Barney is not eligible to play in the postseason since he joined the Jays after Sept. 1.

Devon Travis, the Jays’ rookie second baseman who has been out the last six weeks with a shoulder injury, continues to make slow progress. But the team is not, at this time, counting on him to be a postseason contributor.

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